Pneumatic milking apparatus.



A. GILLIES.

PNEUMATIC MILKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION rum) mm: 15, 1908.

Patented Jan. 18,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

m ifize srsetsi A. GILLIES.

PNEUMATIC MILKING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION I'ILBD 11111315, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

z flz' gzessees ALEXANDER GILLIES, OF HEIDELBERG, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

PNEUMATIC MILKING APPARATUS.

Original application filed November 11, 1907, Serial No. 401,739.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Divided and this application filed June 15, 1908; Serial No. 438,574.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER GILLIEs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at No. 2 Brown street, Heidelberg, in the State of Victoria, Australia, dairyman, have invented an Improved Pneumatic Milking Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

his invention consists of pneumatic milking apparatus designed for pulsating double chambered teat cups wherein an uninterrupted constant suction is maintained in the outer chamber thereof.

The principal objects of the present in-- vention are to increase the efliciency of the apparatus, simplify same, and materially reduce the power required to operate the machine.

By means of the apparatus hereinafter described a constant suction in the outer chamber is accomplished and also an alternate variable degree of suction within the inner chamber, which latter is effected by temporarily either entirely or only substantially cutting off the connection between the source of suction power and the milkway, and at the same time permitting a tmospheric air to enter the latter. By thls means when the inner chamber is distended, the suction is temporarily reduced so that the teat is not distended as heretofore but merely fills naturally and consequently is not subjected to any strain, while when the suction is again admitted within the inner chamber its pressure is about equal to that in the outer chamber and consequently said inner chamber resumes its natural shape thus embracing the teat but does not press inwardly below the point.

The degree of suction within the inner chamber may be broken down from the maximum to mZ when suitable means are provided for holding the cups on the teat, but when the suction is relied upon for this r purpose it is not desirable to reduce the pressure to such a degree. Another advantage is that the cup will remain in position on the teat and is moreover usable for teats of variable size without requiring adjustment.

The milk-drive is obtained by admitting a small quantity of air to the interior of the inner chamber. The intermittent suction in the milk-way is effected by intermittingly connecting same with the suction power by means of valves, cocks, or the like operated by any suitable mechanism, and as it is only necessary to overcome the small quantity of air admitted into the milk-way, it will be apparent that this may be effected with a minimum of power and consequently expensive and excessive machinery hitherto used in milking plants are unnecessary. This is a distinct advantage over known pulsating devices as the intermittent admission of air pressure into the outer chamber necessitated a considerable amount of power to after ward remove it in order to produce the alternate suction.

l'Vith this invention, when the suction is in communication with the inner chamber, the small quantity of air admitted into the milk-way merely assists the discharge of the milk which is flowing from the teat at this time and does not appreciably affect the degree of suction, but when the suction is temporarily substantially cut ofi from the inner chamber, the air admitted at once reduces the degree of suction within the inner chamber thus relieving the strain on the teat, and allowing the inner lining to distend as before stated.

If preferred instead of using two separate tubes from the respective passages of the claw to the suction supply, one of said passages may be joined to the other or placed in communication therewith and the suction would be connected by a single tube to the milk passage in which case a non-return valve is employed in the other passage to prevent the suction in the outer chamber being broken.

In this specification the words milk-way are intended to include the mouthpiece, the inner chamber of cup, the tubes to the milk passage of the claw, the milk passage of the claw, and the tube leading therefrom to the receiver.

The drawings illustrating the invention comprise Figure 1 an enlarged vertical section of a double chambered teat cup. Fig. 2 a similar view drawn to a reduced scale showing the inner chamber distended. Fig. 3 a plan (broken) of the pulsating apparatus showing only one cup and that in vertical section with the inner chamber restored to its normal shape. Fig. 4: a vertical section of the cut off valve taken on line IV Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 a similar view on line V of said figure.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910. g

Fig. 6 a plan of the valve seat. Fig. 7 an enlarged vertical section illustrating the air inlet valve. Fig. 8 a horizontal section through the claw as constructed for this method of pulsation when only a single tube is employed for delivering the suction power to the teat cups,and Fig. 9 a sectional View of a modified form of cup (broken).

According to this invention, the teat cup comprises an outer chamber 1 inclosing a rubber or like flexible inner chamber 2, which receives the teat T.

The outer chamber is provided at the bottom with a short pipe 3 and is preferably formed with a vertical groove or passage 4 in its interior which communicates with said pipe and prevents same being closed. A tube 5 connects said pipe with the common suction passage 6 of the claw 7, and said passage is connected by a tube 8 with the suction power and preferably with the milk bucket B in which a constant vacuum is maintained so that a constant suction is maintained within the outer chamber of the cup, that is around the inner chamber 2, which thus tends to exert a distending power thereupon.

The upper edge of the rubber forming the inner chamber is passed through and turned over a metal or other solid ring 10, which is seated upon an internal shoulder 11 formed on the outer chamber near its upper end. The constant suction within said outer chamber draws the upper edge of the rubber and the ring hard down on said shoulder and thus makes an air-tight joint and closes the top of the outer chamber. A rubber washer 12 is also preferably placed above the mouth of the inner chamber for the purpose of holding the cup to the teat and said washer is secured in position by means of a mouthpiece 13 screwed on the upper end of the outer chamber. The edge of the lining may also be drawn over a reduced neck 1 on the outer casing and be secured by the mouth piece.

The lower edge of the inner chamber is turned around the cup-shaped head 1% of a short pipe 15 passing through and secured to the bottom of the outer chamber, which construction insures a tight-joint.

The short pipe 15 discharges the milk into a tube 16 connecting said pipe with the common milk passage 17 of the claw and a tube 18 connects said milk passage with the suction in the milk bucket B. The suction is substantially cut off intermittingly from this tube and the whole of the milk-way by means of any suitable valve cock or the like P operated either mechanically or pneumatically. One suitable device for this purpose is shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, and consists of a slide valve 19 provided with a passage 20, and adapted to be reciprocated across pairs of ports 21, 22, in a valve seat 23 one 21 of each pair of said ports being in communication with the tube 18 of the milkway and the other 22 of each pair with the suction of the milk bucket B. Although this method of pulsating acts etliciently by completely disconnecting the ports at intervals it is found advantageous to permanently connect each pair of ports by a very minute passage 24 in order to insure sutlieient suction to prevent the backward surging of any milk in the tube when the suction therein is reduced as hereinafter explained, hence the reason for only substantially cutting off the suction power from the milk'way.

At a convenient point in the milk-way for instance in the milk passage of the claw is provided an atmospheric air inlet 25. the area or opening of which may be either fixed as in Fig. 3, or intermittingly 'aried by means of an automatic 'alve A, Fig. 7. This latter consists of a small chamber 26 attached to the underside of the milk passage 17 of the claw, which is provided with one or more openings 27 in the bottom and with a valve seat 28 at the top having a eentral hole or inlet 25 in commui'iication with said milk passage, which seat is furthermore provided with a comparatively narrow slit or port 29 by means of which the milk passage is in permanent COlDlHlllilCzttlOfl with the atmospheric air pressure. Vithin said chamber is a loose valve such as a ball 30, which is drawn up against its seat by the suction when the milk is tlowing thus closing the air inlet 23 so that only a small quantity of air is admitted through the port 29 to assist the flow of milk.

By the alternate pulsating action 1'. 0. when the suction is substantially cut oil. the valve drops and a conngaratively large quantity of air is admitted through the inlet 25 to reduce the suction in the inner chamber of the cup. The air which enters this inlet and traverses the whole of the milk-way has therefore a two-fold etiect viz,-to reduce the suction within the inner chamber when the suction is temporarily substantially cut oil by the valve 1 from the milk bucket during the relaxation of the teat and also to assist the tlow of milk when same is being squeezed from the tait by the inner chamber} It will thus be apparent that when the milk-way including the inner chamber is again connected with the snetion by the 'alve 1 it is only necessary to overcome the small quantity of air introduced through said air inlet 25 in order to restore the maximum pressure again and this may be effected with a minimum of power.

The method of pulsating by the above described means is as follows;-ii hen the suction in the milk-way is temporarily sub stantially cut off by the valve 1 as in Figs. 2 and 5 the air admitted through the inlet 25 in the claw greatly reduces the suction llO 1 within the inner chamber 2 so that the teat is relieved from strain, while the constant suction in the outer chamber 1 distends said inner ch amber outwardly from the teat, thus enabling the latter to till with milk as in Fig. 2. The valve P then operates to again restore the suction in the milk-way and inner chamber 2 so that the latter by reason of the approximately equal pressures on either side resumes its normal shape and draws firmly around the teat and extends same downwardly without covering the point thereof (Fig. The milk is thus drawn in the most natural way from the teat and aided by the minute quantity of air which enters the milk-way is driven freely into the milk bucket. This method of pulsating is equally efi'ective with milking apparatus having either a single or double tube for conveying the suction to the teat cups. Fig. 8 illustrates the single tube ar rangement, and it will be seen by reference thereto that the common suction passage 6 of the claw 7 is closed at one end and is in communication with the milk passage by a port 31, while within said suction passage is a seating 32 having a central opening 33, which is normally closed by a spring operated non-return valve 34: adjustably fitted in the end of the passage 6. By this means when the maximum suction is in the inner chamber 2, the valve 3-1 is lifted 01f its seating and so places the milk and suction passages in communication by means of the opening 33 and port 31, and when the suction is reduced in said inner chamber the valve returns and closes said opening 38 thus retaining the suction within the outer chamher 1.

This application is a division of m copending application, Serial No. 401,739, filed November 11, 1907.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In pulsating apparatus of pneumatic milking machines having double chambered teat cups, means for maintaining an uninterrupted suction in the outer chamber of said cups substantially as set forth.

2. In pulsating apparatus, a teat cup having an inner and outer chamber, a tube connecting said outer chamber permanently with the suction power, a tube connecting said inner chamber with the suction power, and means for temporarily cutting oil? the latter from said tube in combination with means for simultaneously admitting atmospheric air into said inner chamber for the purposes set forth.

3. In pulsating apparatus, a teat cup having an inner and outer chamber, a tube connecting said outer chamber permanently with the suction power, a tube connecting 1 said inner chamber with the suction power, and means for temporarily substantially cutting off the latter from said tube in combination with means for simultaneously admitting atmospheric air into said inner chamber for the purposes set forth.

4:. In pulsating apparatus, a teat cup having an inner and outer chamber, a tube connecting said outer chamber permanently with the suction power, a tube connecting said inner chamber with the suction power, and means for temporarily substantially cutting off the latter from said tube in combination with a permanent air inlet in the milk-way for the purposes set forth.

5. In a pulsating apparatus of the class specified, a teat cup having inner and outer chambers, a claw having a milk passage provided with a permanent air inlet, a tube for permanently connecting the outer chamber of the cup with the suction power, a tube connecting the inner chamber of the cup with the milk passage of the claw, a tube connecting the milk passage of the claw with the suction power, and means for temporarily substantially cutting off communication between the suction power and the inner chamber of the cup.

6. In a pulsating apparatus of the class specified, a teat cup having inner and outer chambers, a claw provided with a milk passage having an air inlet and a valve, a tube for permanently connecting the outer chamber of the teat cup with the suction power, a tube connecting the inner chamber of the cup with the milk passage of the claw, a tube connecting the milk passage of the claw with the suction power, the valve of the air inlet of the claw having differential ports adapted to admit an alternate variable quantity of air and automatically controlled by the suction power, and means for temporarily substantially cutting off communication between the suction power and the inner chamber of the teat cup.

7. In a pulsating apparatus of the class specified, a teat cup having inner and outer chambers, a claw having a milk passage provided with an air inlet valve on the under side thereof comprising a chamber containing a loose ball and having a permanent opening in the bottom and a seat formed with an aperture in communication with the milk passage and with a comparatively narrow port in communication with said aperture, a tube for permanently connecting the outer chamber of the cup with the suction power, a tube connecting the inner cup chamber with the milk passage of the claw, a tube connecting said milk passage with the suction power, and means for temporarily substantially cutting oil communication between the suction power and the inner cup chamber.

8. In a pulsating apparatus of the class specified, a teat cup having inner and outer chambers, a claw having a milk passage with a permanent air inlet, a valve operated intermittently to temporarily substantially cut off the suction supply, a tube for connecting said outer chamber permanently with the suction power, and a tube coir necting said inner cup chamber with the milk passage or" the claw.

9. In a pulsating apparatus of the class specified, a teat cup having inner and outer chambers, a claw having a milk passage provided with a permanent air inlet, a valve seat having a port in communication with the suction power, a tube connecting the milk passage of the claw with another port in said valve seat, the two ports of the valve seat being in communication with each other through the medium of a comparatively small permanent passage, a valve operated intermittently to connect and disconnect said ports of the valve seat, a tube connecting said outer chamber of the teat cup permanently with the suction power, and a tube connecting said inner chamber of the cup with the milk passage of the claw.

10. In teat cups having a rigid outer casing and a flexible inner lining wherein a constant suction is maintained within said outer casing, and an intermittent and variable suction within said inner lining, means for securing the upper edge of said lining and closing the upper end of the outer casing comprising a ring around which the upper edge of the lining is turned, and an internal shoulder on said outer casing to seat said ring substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER GILLIES. lVitnesses EDWARD N. amas, VILLIAM HERBERT VATERS. 

